Se dice and Dicen.

Question

Se dice que soy una mariposa , is it impersonal? Dicen que soy una mariposa, is it also impersonal? Or passive?

Answer 1

My teacher told me Se dice que y Dicen que both are impersonal, so, I am confused, that's why I am asking here.

Since the agent in the second sentence is not explicitly mentioned, it can be considered impersonal if you don't know who is saying that. However, it is difficult for me to understand how you can declare what someone is saying without knowing who they are--it's not like being robbed, where you can tell that your car is missing even though you have no idea who stole it.

It is often said that..... - cogumela, Jan 15, 2011

In an agentless passive voice, but this is more like a depersonalized agent: "They say that I am a butterfly."--who are they and how do you know what they say. - lorenzo9, Jan 15, 2011

Answer 2

My teacher told me Se dice que y Dicen que both are impersonal, so, I am confused, that's why I am asking here.

Then you are asking in the wrong place. You should ask your teacher. If what you read here disagrees with your teacher, what then? - Sabor, Jan 15, 2011

Answer 3

The sentence is like this:

1.Se dice frecuentemente: comemos para vivir,pero no vivimos para comer.

Is this correct if change into Dicen?- Dicen frecuentemente: Comemos para vivir, pero no vivimos para comer.

1. No it isn't 2. Yes, it is - cogumela, Jan 15, 2011

Eh ??????? I'm giving up, Melissa. - cogumela, Jan 15, 2011

Answer 4

Se dice que.. is impersonal because it has no subject, and you can't say it with a subject.

Ellos se dice que ...is wrong.

Se dice que... is a typical "impersonal" construction.

Dicen que... has no specified subject, but you can easily add it, and the sentence does not change:

Ellos dicen que ...is right.

This is why contructions like "Dicen que... " are called "false impersonals"

Answer 5

Se dice que soy una mariposa , is it impersonal?

Yes, it is.

Dicen que soy una mariposa, is it also impersonal? Or passive?

Neither.

Please Melissa, take a look at the reference section, for impersonal , passive and reflexive uses, because you seem to be confused about the "se" thing.